Door latching mechanism



Feb. 23, 1937. w. P. CRILLY DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 13, 1953 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM William P. Crilly, Pico, & Co., Pico, Qalifl, a c

Galif., assignor to Worley V orporation of California Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,804

'7 Claims.

This invention is concerned with improvements in latching mechanisms for doors of lockers, cabinets and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved latching mechanism of the type .in which the latch lock is adapted to be looked while the door is in open position, the mechanism subsequently operating automatically to fasten the door closed when the door is simply lo swung to closed position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a door latching mechanism which is so guarded as to be impossible to unlatch without proper unlocking operation of the locking means.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a latching mechanism which is simple .and convenient to operate, sturdy in construction, silent inoperation and neat in appearance.

The various features of the invention will best be understood by now referringto the following detailed description of a present preferred embodiment thereof, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my locker door and frame;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the locker door and frame;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on .the .30.b10ken line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 2 showing the latch bar in lifted position, with parts broken away to show underlying parts .in section.

In the drawing is shown a door l0 provided .along its vertical edges with inwardly turned flanges H. The door is hinged at l2 to door frame l3, which is here of angle'section, asyindicated. Adjacent the flange II at the swinging edge of the door is a vertically slidable latch bar "5, which as here shown is of channel cross section, the open side of the channel facing against the door in the manner clearly indicated in'the drawing. This latch bar has near its top and bottom vertical guide slots l1 formed in its flanges, and extending through said slots are guide pins I8 which are riveted to door flange I I (see Fig. 6). Heads I!) of pins l8 bearing against latch bar flange I6a serve to constrain the latch bar to vertical movement adjacent door flange l l.

Secured to latch bar flange I6a is a lateral box 5 like Pmjection l4, open adjacent the door, and

received in the opening so provided is a stop pin 15 that projects from a plate 3| secured flat against door In. This pin is provided with a rubber buffer sleeve 15a to deaden the noise of engagement of the pin with the upper and lower ends of the box. Engagement of this bumper with the upper and lower ends of box I4 limits the vertical movement of the latch bar, and the vertical length of the box is accordingly made such as to allow just the required vertical extent of latch bar movement. The guide slots I! of the latch bar are of suflicient vertical extent that rubber covered bumper member I5 is engaged by the upper and lower ends of box I before the ends of said slots l1 engage guide pins l8, thereby assuring avoidance of noise due to metal against metal engagements as the latch bar is operated.

Mounted on the vertical front flange member 13a of door frame I3 is a plurality of jamb plates.

20, here shown as two in number. J amb plates 20 are each of the form shown best in Figs. 5 and 6, comprising a rearwardly extending supporting portion 2|, a portion ,22 turned at right .angles thereto and lying behind door flange H,

and a keeper housing portion 23 projecting forwardly ,from 'portion. 22 through a vertical slot 24 formed in the web of latch bar l6 and lying mainly within the channel of said bar. Latch bar slots 24 are of sufficient vertical extent to allow the required vertical movement of the bar without engaging jamb plates 20. Housing portion .23 defines a vertical way of rectangular cross section, and slidably mounted therein is a latch keeper member 26. This keeper has a vertical slot 21 extending upwardly from its lower end, which rides over a pin 28 set in the sides of housing 23, and confined between said pin and the ,upper end of slot 28 is a coil spring 29 which urges keeper 26 constantly in an upward direction. Upward movement of the keeper by action of spring 29 is limited by a stop screw 30 which is set into jamb plate portion 22 and overlies and. is engaged by a shoulder 3| formed on keeper 26 at the upper limit of keeper movement. Keeper 26 is formed with an inclined upper edge 36 which is adapted to engage the horizontal web edge 31 that defines the upper end of latch bar slot 24, as the door is swung closed (the latch bar being in its lowermost position). This engagement obviously causes keeper 26 to be forced downwardly against spring 29 until the door is fully closed, at which time the inclined upper extremity of the keeper clears edge 31 and the keeper is moved upwardly by spring 29 to the position of Fig. 3. In the last named position the upper end of keeper 26 extends upwardly above latch bar opening 24 and thus enages the web of the latch bar to prevent opening of the door. To open the door the latch bar is raised until its upper slot edge 31 clears the upper extremity of keeper 26, whereupon the door will swing open. The door is locked closed, as now to be described, by locking the latch bar in its lower position (Fig. 3), wherein when the door is closed keeper 26 engages the web of the latch bar and prevents it from moving forwardly. Moreover, the keeper is so guarded by the door flange and by the channel latch bar that it is impossible to depress it to release the latch bar when the door is closed.

Mountedon plate 3| is akey operated lock38,that here shown being of the cabinet or rim lock type. The lock is so located that its horizontally moving bolt 39 when extended just overlies latch bar projection l4 when the latch bar is in its lowermost position, and engagement of said projection with extended bolt 39' prevents elevation of the latch bar from its lowermost position, that of Figs. 2 and 3, to clear keeper 26. Thus with the bolt of lock 38 extended the latch bar cannot be raised and the door cannot be opened.

The door pull 40 has at its upper and lower ends projections 4| and 42 that extend inwardly through slots 43 and 44, respectively, in the front of the door, and are fastened by machine screws 45 to latch bar flange l6a. These screws 45 may be the same screws used to fasten projection l4 against the outer surface of said flange, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Door slots 43 and 44 are of sufficient vertical extent to permit the required vertical movement of the latch bar. With the latch bar locking means released, the latch bar is thus elevated to release the latch bar from keeper 26 by lifting on door pull 40 attached thereto.

Preferably, there is provided an alternative locking means which may used in place of the cabinet lock 38 previously described. For this purpose the aforementioned plate 3| is provided with a forwardly turned lug 48 which lies adjacent the lower exterior portion 400, of door pull 4!] when the door pull is in lowermost position. Lug 48 and door pull portion 40a are then provided with apertures 50 and 5| which register when the latch bar and door pull are in lowermost position, to receive the shackle of a pad lock 53.

To deaden the noise of closing the door, I provide each of the jamb plates 20 with a rubber buffer member which is arranged to be engaged by the flange I l of the door as the door reaches fully closed position, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

It will now be evident that I have provided a latching mechanism which may be locked, if desired, while the door is in open position. Upon subsequent closure of the door a keeper then moves to locking engagement with the latch bar and prevents the door from being opened until the latch bar holding mechanism is unlocked and the latch bar is raised by lifting on the door pull. And while the door is closed and the latch bar is locked in its lowermost position, it is practically impossible to reach the enclosed keeper member with any kind of a tool to depress it and so cause the door to open. The door is thus particularly safe from unauthorized opening.

It will be understood that the drawing and description are merely illustrative of and not refor various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of said claims.

I claim:

1. A keeper structure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically movable latch bar of channel section mounted on its inner surface adjacent its swinging edge, the open side of the channel facing toward the door, and the web of the channel having a slot, comprising: a jamb plate mounted on the door frame and projecting through said slot when the door is in closed position, a latch bar keeper mounted to move vertically on that portion of the jamb plate that extends within the channel of the latch bar, and spring means urging said keeper to an uppermost limiting position, said keeper having an inclined surface on its upper end adapted to be engaged by the latch bar web adjacent the upper end of said slot as the door is being swung closed with the latch bar in its lowermost position, whereby the keeper is caused to move downwardly, and said inclined surface finally clearing the latch bar web as the door reaches closed position, whereby the keeper moves upwardly in front of the latch bar web immediately above said slot.

2. A keeper structure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically movable latch bar of channel section mounted on its inner surface adjacent its swinging edge, the open side of the channel facing toward the door, and the web of the channel having a slot, comprising: a jamb plate mounted on the door frame and projecting through said slot when the door is in closed position, a latch bar keeper supported on that portion of the jamb plate that extends within the channel of the latch bar and mounted for vertical sliding movement thereon, means limiting upward movement of said keeper, and a spring supported on the jamb plate urging said keeper toward its upper limiting position, said keeper having an inclined surface on its upper end adapted to be engaged by the latch bar web adjacent the upper end of said slot as the door is being swung closed with the latch bar in its lowermost position, whereby the keeper is caused to move downwardly, and said inclined surface finally clearing the latch bar Web as the door reaches closed position, whereby the keeper moves upwardly in front of the latch bar web immediately above said slot;

3. A keeper strucure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically movable latch bar of channel section mounted on its inner surface adjacent its swinging edge, the open side of the channel facing toward the door, and the web of the channel having a slot, comprising: a jamb plate mounted on the door frame and projecting through said slot when the door is in closed position, a latch bar keeper mounted to move vertically between a down-" ward retracted position and an uppermost limitmost position into a locking engagement with the latch bar when the door is fully closed.

4. A keeper structure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically movable latch bar of channel section mounted on its inner surface adjacent its swing ing edge, the open side of the channel facing toward the door, and the web of the channel having a slot, comprising: a jamb plate mounted on the door frame and adapted to project through the latch bar slot when the door is in closed position, a latch bar keeper mounted to move vertically on that portion of the jamb plate that extends within the channel of the latch bar, and spring means urging said keeper to move in an upward direction, said keeper having an inclined surface on its upper end adapted to be engaged by the latch bar web adjacent the upper end of said slot as the door is being swung closed with the latch bar in its lowermost position, whereby the keeper is caused to move downwardly, said inclined surface finally clearing the latch bar web as the door reaches closed position, whereby the keeper moves upwardly in front of the latch bar web immediately above said slot.

5. A jamb plate and keeper structure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically disposed vertically movable latch bar mounted on its inner surface adjacent its swinging edge, comprising: a door jamb plate rigidly mounted on the door frame and extending inwardly therefrom, thence around the rear side of the swinging edge of the door and finally extending outwardly towards the latch bar on the closed door, and a spring actuated keeper mounted on said outwardly extending jamb plate member, said latch bar and keeper having cam surfaces which interengage during closing of the door with the latch bar locked in a lowermost position to cause the keeper to be depressed, said cam surfaces finally clearing one another to permit the spring pressed keeper to moveinto locking engagement in front of the latch bar when the door reaches fully closed position.

6. A keeper structure for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically movable latch bar mounted on its inner side adjacent its swinging edge, said latch bar having a downwardly facing keeper-depressing portion, comprising: a jamb plate mounted on the door frame, a latch bar keeper mounted to move vertically on said jamb plate between a downward retracted position and an upper locking position, and spring means urging said keeper to move to its upper locking position, said keeperdepressing portion and keeper having cooperating cam surfaces which interengage as the door is closed to cause the keeper first to move downwardly and then clear to permit the keeper to return toward said upper position into locking engagement with the latch bar when the door is fully closed.

7. Locking means for a door that is mounted to swing in a door frame and that has a vertically disposed vertically movable latch bar mounted on its inner side adjacent its swinging edge, comprising: a door frame member extending inwardly from the front of the door frame, adjacent the swinging edge of the door, thence around the rearside of the swingingedge of the door, and finally extending outwardly towards the latch bar on the closed door, and a spring pressed keeper mounted on the outwardly projecting part of said door frame member, said latch bar and keeper having cam surfaces which interengage during closing of the door with the latch bar locked in a lowermost position to cause the keeper to be depressed, said cam surfaces finally clearing one another to permit the spring pressed keeper to move into locking engagement in front of the latch bar when the door reaches fully closed position.

WILLIAM P. CRILLY. 

